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A More Perfect Union:The USCIS Civics Test Guide to the Monumentsand Memorials on the National MallGeorge Mason MemorialWelcome to the George Mason Memorial in Washington, D.C.Read the following information about the George Mason Memorial.The words that are in bold will help you answer questions from the Civics part of the Naturalization Test.The words that are underlined are vocabulary words from the Reading and Writing parts of theNaturalization Test.Civics Test Questions are highlighted for quick reference.1
A More Perfect Union:The USCIS Civics Test Guide to the Monumentsand Memorials on the National MallGeorge MasonThis memorial honors the contributions that George Mason made during the founding of theUnited States of America.He is not as famous as other Founding Fathers, like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, orBenjamin Franklin.One reason George Mason is important because he fought to add the Bill of Rights to the U.S.Constitution.The Founding Fathers and the Constitutional ConventionThe U.S. Constitution was written in 1787.66. When was the Constitution written?The Constitution was written at the ConstitutionalConvention in Philadelphia.65. What happened at the Constitutional Convention?George Washington attended the Constitutional Convention.After the Constitution was signed, George Washington becamethe first President of the United States. George Washingtonis known as the “Father of Our Country.”69. Who is the “Father of Our Country?”70. Who was the first President?Benjamin Franklin also attended the Constitutional Convention.One thing that Benjamin Franklin is famous for is being theoldest person at the Constitutional Convention.68. What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?2
A More Perfect Union:The USCIS Civics Test Guide to the Monumentsand Memorials on the National MallGeorge Mason attended the Constitutional Convention, but he did not sign the Constitution.One reason that George Mason did not sign the Constitution is that he believed theConstitution should have a Bill of Rights.A Bill of Rights is a document that lists the rights that individuals have.Passage of the ConstitutionAfter the Constitution was signed, the supporters of the Constitution had to convince otherpeople in the United States to approve it.John Jay, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton were the writers of the FederalistPapers. They wrote the Federalist paper to support the passage of the U.S.Constitution.67. The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution.Name one of the writers.There was also a group of people called the Anti-Federalists. They did not support thatpassage of the U.S. Constitution. George Mason was an Anti-Federalist.Amendments and the Bill of RightsGeorge Mason convinced James Madison that the Constitution should be changed to includea Bill of Rights.A change to the Constitution is called an amendment.4. What is an amendment?In 1791, 10 amendments were added to the Constitution. We callthe first ten amendment to the Constitution the Bill of Rights.5. What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?3
A More Perfect Union:The USCIS Civics Test Guide to the Monumentsand Memorials on the National MallEach amendment in the Bill of Rights identifies different rights or freedoms for individuals.For example, there are 5 rights or freedoms in the First Amendment: Speech Religion The Press Assembly (to gather) Petition the Government6. What is one right or freedom in the First Amendment?The word “petition” means “to write to” or “to request.”“Petition the government” means that individuals have the right to make requests to thegovernment or elected officials.Freedom of speech and freedom of religion are examples of 2 rights of everyone livingin the United States.51. What are two rights of everyone living in the United States?Freedom of religion means you can practice any religion, or not practice a religion.10. What is freedom of religion?Once the Bill of Rights 1791 was added, George Mason supported the Constitution.Many years before the Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution, George Mason wrote adocument called the Virginia Declaration of Rights. Many of the rights that George Masonincluded in the Virginia Declaration of Rights were also included in the Bill of Rights.This is why George Mason is known as the author of America’s first Bill of Rights.4
A More Perfect Union:The USCIS Civics Test Guide to the Monumentsand Memorials on the National MallGeorge Mason died in 1792, just 1 year after the Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution.The George Mason MemorialThe George Mason Memorial opened in 2002. It is one of four memorials located around theTidal Basin.The other monuments located around the Tidal Basin are the: Thomas Jefferson Memorial Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial Martin Luther King, Jr. MemorialThe George Mason Memorial is located closest to the Thomas Jefferson Memorial as a symbolof how important both men believed that individual rights, especially the freedom of religion,are to people.5
A More Perfect Union:The USCIS Civics Test Guide to the Monumentsand Memorials on the National MallVocabulary for the Reading and Writing Parts of the Naturalization TestThe table below contains the underlined words from the information you just read aboutGeorge Mason and the George Mason Memorial. They are some of the vocabulary words forthe Reading and Writing parts of the Naturalization Test.Vocabulary for theReading TestAmericaBill of RightsGovernmentManyU.S.Vocabulary for Both theReading and Writing TestFather of Our CountryFirstGeorge sState/statesUnited StatesVoteVocabulary for theWriting TestFreedom of speechTo see a full list of the 100 questions on the Naturalization Civics Test, and a full list of thevocabulary on the Reading and Writing Test, please visit the USCIS Citizenship ResourceCenter: www.uscis.gov/citizenship.6
George Mason This memorial honors the contributions that George Mason made during the founding of the United States of America. He is not as famous as other Founding Fathers, like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, or Benjamin Franklin. One reason George Mason is important because he fought to add the Bill of Rights to the U.S. Constitution.
